The invention relates generally to article carriers, and more particularly to a bottom-loading basket-style article carrier for closely receiving articles such as bottles.
Basket-style article carriers, such as carriers for soft-drink bottles, are useful for several reasons. For example, articles may be easily removed from the carrier, articles may generally be easily replaced in the carrier after removal for transport, disposal or other purposes, the carrier generally has an easy-to-use handle economically integrally formed with the carrier, and the carrier is generally perceived to be aesthetically pleasing to consumers. Basket-type carriers are typically designed to loosely receive the articles. A basket-style article carrier for bottles is generally constructed to loosely receive the bottles so that glass bottles in particular may be easily loaded and unloaded repeatedly, if desired, and also so that breakable bottles may be better separated from one another. What is needed, however, is a carrier particularly suited for closely receiving articles, such as bottles, in a manner that facilitates production of a tight package. A snug carrier package is particularly useful for packaging non-breakable bottles, such as PET bottles commonly used in the soft-drink beverage industry, which do not need to be segregated in a package.
Some known basket-style carriers have center cells, and high center cells in particular. A center cell is typically used to segregate breakable bottles as well as help support bottles. A center cell would be useful in packaging nonbreakable bottles to help produce a close fit between the carrier and the centrally-located bottles in the carrier, as well as to help support the bottles.